The present invention relates generally to vehicle safety warning systems.
Existing safety warning systems include a transmitter which can selectively send any of a plurality of warning messages relating to highway construction, accidents, stopped or slow moving vehicles, etc. The transmitter is installed on emergency vehicles or at road construction sites or other potentially hazardous areas. The transmitter sends the warning signal which is received by vehicles with safety warning receivers within the receiving range, up to one and a half miles. Many current radar detectors include safety warning receivers.
The existing system is infrastructure dependent and does not provide early warning of a road hazard until the system is activated by an emergency vehicle, often long after the incident occurs.
The present invention provides a safety warning transceiver installed in a vehicle and including a receiver for receiving a wireless first warning signal, such as from a safety warning system or fast braking warning system from another vehicle. The transceiver also includes a first transmitter which generates a wireless second warning signal in response to the first receiver receiving the first warning signal. The second warning signal is preferably identical to the first warning signal, such that it can be received by a safety warning transceiver or receiver in a second vehicle. The warning signals also preferably include a counter incremented by each transceiver or a time tag to limit propagation of the signal. Thus, the range of any safety warning system transmitter or fast braking warning system is improved.
Further, the receiver and transmitter are also used with other vehicle wireless communication systems. For example, the receiver and transmitter also preferably function as a trainable transmitter for use with home security systems, such as garage door openers. Further, the receiver also receives a wireless coded signal from a portable fob transmitter for activating the remote keyless entry system of the vehicle.
Preferably, the safety warning transceiver is physically and electrically dockable into a docking station in an interior trim panel in the vehicle, such as a headliner. The safety warning transceiver can therefore be removed and installed in another vehicle having a similar docking station.